John Kachoyan: ‘I Feel Armenian in My Art’

No sadly not, we all moved on to other work and I moved back to Australia to work for the Bell Shakespeare Company as Director In Residence.

The Australian-Armenian community seems to be less known in the Armenian Diaspora. Please tell us about your family.

My father was born in Egypt and emigrated to Australia with his family aged 6. It was his father, my grandfather Aram Kachoyan, initially who continued some connection — telling us about the Genocide, but most other details have been hard to come by, lost in the fog of diaspora — and either unknown or unspoken. My father has done a lot of research in later years, reconnecting with relatives around the globe and expanding the family tree but it sadly still does not reach back more than two or three generations.

Because of my background, we maintain a suite of traditions borrowed from Egyptian, Irish, Greek and Armenian traditions. I speak very little Armenian, to my continuing sadness. Culturally, I felt I discovered my own Armenianness, in music and song and image later in life — I think because as the second generation kid, the child of an immigrant, you have the luxury to ask about the old world, the old places. Perhaps my father and grandfather did not — but the cooking, food is what connected me mainly to Armenia as a child — and that’s one of my father’s talents.

Have you ever had any cultural or other contacts with the Armenians in the countries you lived — Australia, United Kingdom or Canada?

Yes, I always think of Saroyan’s idea about Armenians finding each other around the world. My grandfather’s side is mostly scattered around the world — and it was a joy to reconnect with them (in France, Canada and elsewhere) during previous travels. I have been supported in my studies and productions by other Armenians and shown more about my background because of these small adoptions — it seems to happen in every city I visit. I am in LA semi-regularly and ‘Armenia’ is more present there than Australia for sure — though obviously a complex idea.

Does having an Armenian family name seems something special to you?

Yes. It is a legacy and connection to something rich and deep — also a sadness perhaps that Armenians might carry with them — and it is always (especially in Australia) a conversation starter; “Oh where’s your name from?” For more as I have grown as an artist an increasing part of my work is concerned with memory, truth and trauma — so there are inheritances there. I feel Armenian in my art.

You made an adaptation of Joan London’s novel, Gilgamesh, which traverses from Australia to Soviet-era Armenia. It will be interesting to learn more about this project and also if you have had other Armenian inspirations.

Yes. I adore this novel, my version is currently being adapted for television. It traces an Australian girl who falls pregnant in 1930s Australia to an Armenian traveler, Aram Sinanien, and after having his baby out of wedlock, she decides to leave Australia to try and find him all in the lead up to the outbreak of World War II. Aram lost his entire family in the Genocide and the work traces the strings of grief, inheritances between child and parent and the search for a response to death. Australia and Armenia — so perfect for me. I also love the lead character, Edith, this ‘simple’ country girl from rural Australia who finds herself in a strange and foreign Armenia — it appeals to my wanderlust and yearning for an unknown homeland.

Armenia is again under the attacks of its terroristic neighbors and mercenaries… how was Australia’s and Australian Armenians’ response to this?

Australia’s response has been sporadic. There are some news reports — but very much a “both sides” style of reporting. We have had one or two Armenians on the news explaining the situation and some fundraising support. It feels so distant, which can be hard. I had to call into a major radio station last week to correct their pronunciation of “Armenia”!